


My Heart's In The Highlands

by oswinpxnd



Category: Victoria (TV)
Genre: Canon Gay Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 21:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17968721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oswinpxnd/pseuds/oswinpxnd
Summary: Basically episode 7 but Alfred and Drummond get lost instead of Victoria and Albert.





	My Heart's In The Highlands

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so I wrote this on a whim as season 3 goes on my depression increases so please bare with me if this is written like a mess LOL  
> I took some elements that actually happened in the episode and twisted it a bit to make it fit but I hope it's enjoyable!

Scotland. An open, beautiful country full of history and enchanting scenery. The queen decided to take a trip to Scotland with her court to take a break from the work and politics of London. The trip was going beautifully, bagpipes playing everywhere, hills upon hills of open nature, delicious food and many activities. The Queen and Prince Albert wanted to ride around the country side to get more of the scenery, so they did and her court followed. They visited a large creek, where Victoria was being taught how to fish by Albert, Ernest helped a man net, and Alfred, who gazed at Drummond across the water -who was fishing gracefully upon the rocks.

"Oh, Lord Alfred. Isn't this scenery sublime?" Wilhelmina asked, looking off at the trees and mountains beyond.

"Heavenly." Alfred replied, keeping his focus on Drummond. He seemed to have fit right in with the art of nature, standing there on the rocks with one leg propped in front of the other, fishing pole in hand and the slightest pull of a caught fish wouldn't be able to phase him. Alfred was so entranced he didn't notice Wilhelmina had nudged him to move on with the rest of the group.

When it was time to head back, Alfred was informed that The Queen and The Prince had requested to ride back to Atoll on horseback and he and Drummond were to ride behind them for guard. Alfred obliged as it was a chance to spend time with Drummond, which he could never pass up.

 

The sun gleamed through the leaves of the trees around them as they rode calmly behind Victoria and Albert. They had given them enough space for each party to have privacy.

As they were going along their way, Alfred spotted a path up ahead that went off track with the rest of the group. He thought for a moment and came up with an idea. Alfred was sure no one would notice if they left the group, would they? A chance to explore other parts of the woods, unmonitored, alone, with Drummond. If they were caught there was a chance they'd get in a lot of trouble but, something in Alfred just didn't care what could happen to them.

"Drummond.." Alfred whispered, "There's a separate path up ahead, I'm sure Her Majesty wouldn't mind if we.. give them some space."

Drummond looked at him, a smile creeping onto his lips.

"I have an excellent sense of direction so I can assure you we won't get lost." Alfred smirked.

Drummond looks at the upcoming path and smiles at Alfred, "I don't see why not."

Very discretely, both Alfred and Drummond crept off onto the separate path from the rest of the group. When they were completely out of range from everyone else, they glanced at one another. Alfred smiled mischievously, "Let the fastest man win." he said, suddenly kicking his horse and riding farther with speed.

It caught Drummond off guard, he opened his mouth to say something but Alfred was already off.

"Alfred!" he laughed, signaling his horse to ride faster. ' _That ridiculous man._ ' he thought.

They raced each other down the path, both with laughs and boyish grins on their faces. Drummond held onto the rim of his top hat with one hand to keep it from flying off his head as the wind flew past their faces. Neither ended up winning as they both slowed down next to each other but both men felt that the other's company was good enough a win.

Drummond sighed deeply, gathering in the fresh air. The forest around them seemed empty now without the entire court with them.

They came across steep ledges on the sides of their current path, Drummond made sure his horse was to not steer close to them. As they slowly rode along, Drummond looked down the ledges that led to an abyss of leaves and rocks.

"If we fell, it could be months till we were found." He said, breaking the silence he didn't notice was between them.

Alfred peered down the ledge from his spot on the opposite side of Drummond, "You seem very calm at the prospect."

Drummond stared down the ledges, to be honest the thought of being lost -or even possibly dead..- with Alfred seemed much better then to return back home. Because returning home meant he was to get trapped in a marriage he didn't want to be in and that terrified him.

"I'm more afraid of going back to London." he responded, turning his focus back to the path in-front of them.

Alfred looked at him with slight concern, it was unlike Drummond to talk in this way. This brave, ambitious young man, the youngest man to ever have worked next to a Prime Minister, who - on the daily - has serious and life changing discussions with some of the most powerful people in the British Government, would rather fall and possibly end his own life than to return home and get married.

"Really?" Alfred said. Drummond glanced back at him and then down at his hands, he guided his horse a few more steps away from the ledges.

"I saw you were reading The Iliad on the boat." Drummond said, desperately trying to change the subject.

Alfred smiled, "Not the original, I'm afraid."

Drummond perked the corner of his lips, huffing a soft laugh.

Alfred inhaled and peered out at the forest in front of them, "I find the death of Patroclus, most affecting." he continued.

"Yes, the lengths Achilles went to to honor his friend."

Alfred smiled lightly and looked at Drummond, "You believe they were friends?"

Drummond looked back at him and hesitated, "I wouldn't know what else to call them."

Alfred responded only with a smirk.

As they rode along, Drummond began to realize they were in a part of the forest he did not recognize. Concerned, he got Alfred's attention.

"Forgive me if I am wrong Alfred but-" he looked around, "- I do not recognize this part of the forest.. Are you sure you still know where we are going?"

Alfred peered around and slightly panicked. He had been so distracted by the scenery and his conversations with Drummond he had lost track of where they going. But to be the leader of the two he tried his best to not show visible panic in his face or words.

"I'm sure we'll find our way soon. I don't remember straying too far from our friends." he reassured Drummond, avoiding his worrying glance.

Drummond sighed, he trusted Alfred with his life and he hoped he was right. Of course he was enjoying their time actually being alone together but if they properly got lost, there's no way they would survive the night. Let alone the scandal it would cause if The Queen was blamed for their disappearance.

 

-

 

"Albert." Victoria said abruptly, stopping her horse's tracks.

"What is it Victoria?" Albert asked, when he looked at Victoria he saw that she was staring behind them.

"Weren't Lord Alfred and Mr.Drummond riding behind us?"

Albert looked back and saw that there was no one trailing behind them. The two men were gone.

Albert immediately whistled the Duke's attention from the carriage in front of them.

"Did you hear them leave at all? Where could they have gone?" Albert asked Victoria as the entire line of carriages and guards stopped.

"I-I do not know, I never even noticed they were gone until now."

They dismounted their horses as the Duke came to them, behind him the heads of Ernest, Wilhelmina and Harriet were peaked out the windows of their carriages.

"What is the problem, Your Highness?" The Duke asked.

Albert motioned to the vacantness behind his horse, "Lord Alfred and Mr.Drummond are no where to be seen, Duke. We do not remember ever hearing them leave the group."

From their carriage, Wilhelmina looked back at Harriet, who was listening intently to their conversation. Her expression turned confused.

"Lord Alfred and Mr.Drummond are missing?!" she said, "How is that possible? Lord Alfred himself is quite hard to miss, I'm shocked Her Majesty didn't notice right away he was gone."

Wilhelmina shrugged and returned her focus back to The Queen, Prince Albert and The Duke.

 

"When was the last time you saw them ma'am?" The Duke asked, signaling guards to do an emergency detour and search.

"Unfortunately I don't know. They have given us enough space for the Prince and I to have our privacy but I never noticed their absence." Victoria replied, rubbing her hands together anxiously. The Duke sighed, he felt this was partially his fault. He told them to ride behind The Queen and The Prince instead of just ordering some of his own guards to do so. God knows where they are now and what happened.

 

-

 

"-even if I disliked her, my family wouldn't consider that an obstacle." Drummond went on, he and Alfred had wandered back onto the topic of his engagement, despite the tension it created between them.

"and do you?" Alfred asked, adjusting the reigns of his horse in his hands, "dislike her?"

"No." Drummond exhaled, "In fact I care for her deeply but.. I don't think I could ever uhm.." he hesitated.

"Love her." Alfred said, completing Drummond's sentence.

They looked at each other, Drummond opened his mouth for a moment but closed it before saying anything and nodded.

Alfred peered ahead of them, the path they have been following had come to an end and opened up to a creek and open fields.

"Alfred I don't remember passing this earlier.. Maybe we should turn back." Drummond worried.

Alfred sighed, if they turned around they would be stuck in a maze of endless trees. In his mind the smartest option was to move on and see if there's any help up ahead. He shook his head.

"We'll be going in circles if we head back into the forest, we can pass this creek here and maybe find some help."

Drummond sighed but nodded in agreement. He figured there was nothing else they could do.

They slowly guided their horses into the cold running water of the creek, nudging them forward as they neighed in protest.

Alfred and Drummond were side by side on their horses, both keeping an eye on each other as they cautiously move through the water.

As Drummond's horse takes a step forward, one of it's front hooves slips slightly on a rock, causing Drummond to lose his balance. He gasps and lets out his arm behind him for something to grab onto.

Alfred sharply turns his head and -out of a subconscious instinct- immediately grabs Drummond's arm. He helps Drummond regain his balance and sit back up.

"Drummond, are you alright?" Alfred asked, his hand still lightly held on Drummond's arm.

Drummond gulped and nodded, "I'm alright... thank you."

Alfred snuck a smile at him, he softly squeezed Drummond's arm before positioning his hand back on his reign.

Other than the horses continuing to make protesting noises throughout the way, they managed to pass through the rest of the creek with no problems.

 

The fields and hills seemed to have gone out for miles. At this point, both Alfred and Drummond admittedly agreed they were lost.

They began walking through the hills, holding the reigns of their horses beside them.

"It's starting to get dark Alfred," Drummond noticed, "We need to find somewhere to go or find our way back to Atoll immediately."

Alfred bit his lip in frustration, there was no sight of Atoll anywhere and they were surrounded by endless hills of green farmland. He looked around.

Fields. Fields. Farm land. Fiel-

A cottage.

Alfred squinted his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. At the bottom of a hill he spotted a small dark cottage.

Alfred smiled and patted Drummond's shoulder before beginning to walk toward it, "This way."

 

When they got to the cottage, they could tell it was still occupied. Freshly caught fish was hung outside and the small stable beside it had a horse inside. Alfred and Drummond looked at each other, Drummond motioned his hand to the door implying for Alfred to knock.

Alfred lightly knocked on the door and then took a few steps back to wait on an answer. He looked back at Drummond, who gave him a small smile. Alfred raised his eyebrows back, only to have to pull on his well-taught 'courtier mask' on once an older man opened the door.

"Good evening Sir." Alfred said, "I'm sorry if we have disturbed you but I fear my friend and I have been separated from the rest of our group."

The old man looked at him and Drummond with squinted eyes.

"We were wondering if you would be kind enough to give us a place to stay for the night."

Alfred and the old man exchanged stares for a few moments, Then the old man's eyes softened and he shrugged. He moved to the side and opened the door more, allowing Alfred and Drummond to come inside.

Inside the cottage was an older woman, assumably the man's wife, sitting by the fire and darning a pair of socks. The cottage was small, not as clean as what they were used to and Drummond could just about reach up and touch the ceiling if he tried, but it was cozy and they could tell it was very loving.

The woman watched them walk in, she looked at the two young men with confusion, she then looked at her husband who simply shrugged.

Drummond instantly spotted the fireplace, he sighed in relief and paced over to the bench that sat beside it. He took his gloves off and rubbed them together. When he and Alfred were out wandering in the fields, the sky got darker and the air got cooler, making him feel colder than he expected.

The old man watched Drummond and stifled a laugh, "Well, make yourself right at home, why don't you?" he said sarcastically. Drummond froze and stared. Alfred sighed, the poor man looked like a terrified puppy. For a man in politics, he can be quite gullible sometimes.

"I-I apologize for my friend's behavior.. He hasn't quite been himself since we were separated from our friends." Alfred said, smiling at the old man and then at Drummond who had eased up and nodded.

Alfred went over and sat next to Drummond on the bench. The bench wasn't very big so it was a tight squeeze for the gentlemen but neither of them were bothered being that close to one another.

The man and the woman discussed something in whispers, looking at the two men and both nodding in agreement.

"You two may stay here for the night if you'd like, but we cannot promise that you will find your friends immediately in the morning." the man said, giving Alfred and Drummond a thin-lined smile.

 

-

 

The court had traveled back to Atoll, Victoria, Albert and The Duke waited and worried. They pondered on what could've happened to the two lost men.

Victoria stood looking out the window, she thought of Alfred, a man she could easily call a close friend. Out of all the people, Alfred would be at the bottom of the list she thought would completely disappear out of no where or lose their way.

She shook her head, thinking what would need to be told to his parents if they never found them. Not to mention the scandal it would bring to not only The Duke but to the crown and the men's families.

For Drummond as well, just announced to be engaged to a young, admirable woman. It saddened Victoria, imagining the heartbreak it'd bring to announce him missing to his fiancee.

Victoria rubbed her hands together anxiously as Albert and The Duke discuss their theories on Alfred and Drummond's disappearance.

"Is there any possibility of spies or enemies to be around here Duke?" Albert asked. The Duke shook his head, "Not to my knowledge sir."

"No one that would have any reasons to threaten The Crown and take Lord Alfred and Mr.Drummond as hostages?"

The duke shook his head again, "No sir."

Albert rubbed his chin and sighed, he had no idea what had happened to them.

"We have search parties out looking for them, yes?"

"Yes, sir. I sent most of my men out looking everywhere in the forest for them."

 

"Should we inform Sir Robert?" Victoria spoke up, "Tell him about the situation and to inform their parents and Mr.Drummond's fiancée?" She turned around and looked at them.

Albert shook his head before The Duke could respond, "I think we should wait till morning to inform anybody, it will give the search parties enough time to look through the entire forest."

Victoria nodded and glanced back out the window.

"It's getting dark." she looked down in shame, "We should have kept more of an eye on them. It's our fault this has happened."

 

-

 

The old man handed Drummond a small plate that held a freshly cooked fish on top of it. Drummond thanked him and moved the plate to where both he and Alfred could reach it. The couple only had two plates, so Alfred and Drummond had no other choice but to share that one plate while the couple shared the other.

They watched the couple pick a piece of their fish with their fingers and eat it. This technique fascinated them, for men that were used to royal etiquette and eating everything a certain way, this was very different from their 'norm'.

Alfred looked at their own plate with curiosity. He picked a piece of the fish with his fingers and looked at it for a moment.

Drummond turned his head and watched Alfred slowly put the piece of fish in his mouth. Repeating Alfred's actions, he too picked a piece and placed it in his mouth. They watch each other slowly eat it, and two amused smiles form on their faces.

Alfred chuckles and begins to pick another piece, the fish tasted like heaven, nothing like what he's had at restaurants or the palace.

The couple watched them as they ate their dinner. These two men just out of the blue knock on their door and now here they are, happily eating off of their other plate exchanging looks that are far too warm to be friendly.

"You two aren't from around these parts, are you?" The old man asked, breaking the silence between them.

Alfred and Drummond broke their gaze with each other and looked at him.

"No." Alfred answered, "we are from London."

"But why come here?"

Alfred hesitated and glanced back at Drummond, who was keeping silent and stuffing his mouth with another piece of fish.

"Our friends and we.. we wanted a break from our work." Alfred said brightly, "A few days to be free from society and its rules."

Drummond paused for a moment hearing Alfred's words. ' _free from society and its rules_.'

"What is it that you do?" the woman asked.

Alfred thought for a moment about what he could say. If he said 'for the queen and the british parliament', the couple would immediately send them to Atoll or to the nearest town to be found but in all honesty, Alfred started to like the coziness of the cottage and didn't want to leave so soon.

This was the first time he and Drummond were this close to each other since the ride back from their trip to France, where they squeezed together on one side of the carriage. The lack of royalty and having to keep up with proper manner was refreshing and new, and he could tell Drummond felt just as content as he did.

Their fingertips were secretly overlapped underneath their plate, giving each other just a small taste of intimacy.

"What is it that  _we_  do?" Drummond said, probably with a bit too much arrogance than he intended.

The woman squinted her eyes at them. She then stood up abruptly and took their plate right out of their hands. Alfred and Drummond's fingertips separated from their place and they watched the lady walk over to their small kitchen.

Drummond sighed, fearing he had offended her in some way, he gave Alfred a quick glance and then stood up himself. He slowly took off his jacket and hung it neatly on the edge of the bench.

Alfred watched him and then turned back to the man who remained sitting across from him.

"We help our friend work their uhm.." Alfred motioned his hand as if it would help him explain his words, "factory, so to speak." he said with a thin lined smile.

"I help her organize important things while..-" Alfred hesitated as he gazed over at Drummond who had walked over to where the old woman was and offered to help her dry the dishes,

"Edward helps transport papers between her and her customers or competitors."

Drummond froze his actions of drying a bowl. His heart jumped in his chest when he heard Alfred say his first name rather than last, he loved the way it sounded in Alfred's voice. A soft smile grew on his lips as he continued his drying.

Drummond handed the bowl back to the woman, she took it and looked at him. He gave her an apologetic look, which made her give him a small smile in return before she put the bowl in it's rightful cabinet.

 

-

 

Wilhelmina and Harriet sat reading together in a sitting room, the sun has set and everyone in the castle were still waiting on any updates of Alfred and Drummond's location.

Harriet closes her book momentarily, looking out the window she sighs.

"It's after dusk yet Lord Alfred and Mr. Drummond are still out there.. Somewhere."

Wilhelmina glanced up from her book, "I'm sure they'll be found soon, those two wouldn't let themselves get lost forever"

Harriet chuckled lightly, "Indeed so Wilhelmina. Lord Alfred is very resourceful in situations like these, I'm sure he's out there with Mr.Drummond navigating their way out as we speak."

They smile at one another, an awkward silence follows Harriet's words. Even though they are both optimistic of the return of the two missing men, they secretly worry if their hope is false. That as they sit there and wait, Alfred and Drummond are somewhere in danger or even worse, laying somewhere at the bottom of a cliff, dead. It was all quite bizarre for them to vanish like they did out of thin air, but also suspicious. Harriet didn't think too much of it but Alfred and Drummond's close friendship hasn't gone unnoticed by her and she's sure Wilhelmina has noticed too.

It's quite possible they wanted to get lost, or maybe they're not lost at all. Maybe her suspicions are true, and the two young men have run away to be free from society and it's rules.

Harriet guesses she will never know unless she builds up the confidence to ask Alfred, if she ever sees him again.

 

-

 

Alfred placed a card down on the small table in front of him, the old man facing across from him looked down and raised his eyebrows. He looked back at his deck and sighed, "I fear you have beat me again, where did you learn to play son?"

Alfred smirked as he shuffled his cards, "I guess I'm just a man of luck but I do play frequently back home."

Alfred set his cards on the table and leaned back on the bench. It was most definitely after sundown and the only light illuminating the inside of the cottage was the fire place next to him and a few candles on the dining table across the room. At the table sat Drummond, reading a book the old woman -who was sitting across from him, finishing her darning from earlier- had kindly given him to use. Alfred watched him as he slowly turned the page, eyes blinking just as slow. Alfred smiled, he could tell Drummond was becoming tired.

The dim light from the candles showed the sharp structure of Drummond's cheekbones, but in a way had made them look soft.

Drummond felt Alfred's gaze on him, he looked up from his book and was immediately met with Alfred's eyes. Alfred quirked an eyebrow at him, followed by a smirk. Drummond blushed and tried his best to pull his focus back to his book. He was growing tired, the low lighting made it harder for him to focus on the words and the soft sound of the cackling fire made it harder for him to stay awake.

"It's getting late gentlemen," the old man spoke up, looking at his pocket watch, "I feel it's time we get to rest if we set out to find your friends tomorrow."

Alfred nodded in agreement and Drummond closed his book, rubbing his eyes as a sign he agreed too.

"Do you have an spare beds that we may use?" Alfred asked, standing up.

The man motioned to a bed nooked into the opposite side of the room, it was semi-covered by a drawn sheet and it looked as it could barely fit two people.

Alfred and Drummond looked at it, Alfred furrowed his brows.

"I fear we only have a one bed, hopefully you two can handle sleeping together for one night."

A faint smile grew on Drummond's face as he stared at the cooped up bed.

Alfred raised his eyebrows for a moment in amusement but turned to the old man.

"But where will you sleep?" he asked.

The old man shrugged, "We're perfectly find sleeping in the stables for a night."

The woman nodded at his statement.

Alfred and Drummond look at each other, both trying their best to not show just how much they're amused by their situation. Never in a million years did they think anything like this would happen.

 

 

Alfred moved the sheet out of the way, behind it was the nook of a bed. It was nicely kept and on the windowsill beside it were a few books and a lit candle but as it was small, it would be a tight squeeze for the two of them to lay together.

But the neither of them saw that as a problem.

Alfred smiled at Drummond, "After you."

Drummond gave Alfred a mischievous look and laughed. Drummond climbed his way into the bed with Alfred following right after him. Scooted all the way to the windowsill, Drummond blew out the candle and turned around. He was met instantly with Alfred's face, only inches away from him. Alfred's blue eyes were staring softly back at him. Being this close hitched Drummond's breath in his throat and caused his cheeks to flush.

Drummond began thinking, all that has happened today, all these hours he has spent with Alfred. The thought of them being found suddenly saddened him. If they were found they'd be immediately sent back to Atoll and then back to London. God knows what would await them there.

"What are you thinking about?" Alfred whispered suddenly.

Drummond adjusts his head on his pillow and hesitates before answering, "What if they never find us?"

Alfred thought for a moment and shrugged slightly, "I'm sure they will, they probably have people searching for us as we speak."

Drummond sighed, he bites the inside of his cheek, wondering if he should admit his true thought.

"What if I don't want them to find us?"

Alfred stares at him, a small smile forms on his lips.

"Imagine it Alfred." Drummond whispers, "They never find us, and we are free from our ordered lives." He shakes his head lightly as he thinks.

"Live like this forever..." Drummond hesitates, "Just the two of us."

"Would you like that?"

"I think very much so," he smiles but it fades, "is that wrong?"

Alfred shakes his head softly and whispers, "Nothing that you like could ever be wrong."

Drummond looks at him for a moment.

In this bed, they were covered by the hung sheet and in this cottage, they were alone from the rest of the world. All this time he and Alfred had known each other, feelings deep inside Drummond's heart has grown nonstop. Years of glances across the room and small talk. Over time they have grown to be close friends, but they know that under the surface there is something much more than a friendship.

Now they're here, lying in bed together, only centimeters away.

Drummond had always tried to fight these feelings, it felt wrong and he thought he shouldn't feel this way but, as Alfred said himself, nothing he likes could ever be wrong. Right?

All at once, he caves in. He lets his heart consume him.

Drummond leans in and kisses Alfred. He breaks away and they stare at each other, for a second Drummond worries if he had made a mistake but it was completely washed away when Alfred cups his face and pulls him in for another kiss.

They break away again momentarily to look at one another one more time before pulling back in and completely pouring their souls into each other.

 

-

 

That morning, Alfred woke up to the sounds of tweeting birds and a soft snore coming from beside him. He slowly opened his eyes and was greeted with a sleeping Drummond in front of him. Alfred's heart melted at the sight of him, Drummond had curls escaping onto his temples, his lips were slightly parted and his eyelashes fluttered softly as he stirs in his sleep. Their legs were intertwined from the night before and the blankets that were so nicely made when they first got into bed were now entangled with their bodies. The morning sun shown through the window above them, making everything more heavenly than what if already was.

Alfred didn't want this to end but he knew it would at some point. He sighed, putting his hand up to Drummond's face and lightly stroking his cheek. ' _Good morning, Edward_ ' he thought.

As Alfred watched Drummond sleep, he noticed something from outside the window in the corner of his eye. He sat up on his elbow and looked out the window, outside he saw faint figures of Scottish guards.

The search parties. They've finally found them. Alfred looked down at Drummond and exhaled sadly. Their little heavenly adventure would be ending earlier than he expected.

Alfred looked back up at the guards. They were still quite ways away from the cottage yet, they still had about 30-40 minutes until they make their way over to them. A grin forms on Alfred's face.

He lays back down next to Drummond, he then watches him sleep for a few more moments before closing his own eyes.

They didn't need to find them, just yet.

**Author's Note:**

> This is like my second attempt at a fic that isn't 99% angst so it's probably not the best but thank you for taking te time to read this!  
> kudos and comments give me life !!! <3


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